Method and apparatus for processing material

ABSTRACT

A system for processing material includes a computer connected to a saw. A pusher is used to convey material along a processing path. The computer is programmed to control optimal processing of material to satisfy a cut list.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation of Ser. No. 12/005,116 filed Dec. 21, 2007 whichis a continuation application of Ser. No. 11/492,703 filed Jul. 24, 2006which is a continuation application of Ser. No. 10/645,832 filed Aug.20, 2003, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,080,431 on Jul. 25, 2006, whichclaims priority to Ser. No. 60/405,067 filed Aug. 20, 2002 and Ser. No.60/405,069 filed Aug. 20, 2002, all of which are hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

This application incorporates by reference in its entirety the followingU.S. patent applications and patents: U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/578,806 filed May 24, 2000 entitled “Automated Fence Control CouplingSystem”, now abandoned; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/104,492filed Mar. 22, 2002 entitled “Automated Fence Control Coupling System”,now abandoned; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 491,307; 2,315,458; 2,731,989;2,740,437; 2,852,049; 3,994,484; 4,111,088; 4,434,693; 4,658,687;4,791,757; 4,805,505; 4,901,992; 5,251,142; 5,443,554; 5,444,635;5,460,070; 5,524,514; 6,216,574; 6,631,006 and 7,031,789.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to material processing, particularly involving anautomated pusher device operatively positioned between two machinesalong a processing path.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Automated saws are used extensively to cut materials for many differentmanufacturing applications. For example, saws may use a microprocessorto determine how to cut according to a user-supplied list of requireddimensions, i.e., a cut list. The microprocessor controls movement of afence to position sites of cutting in a manner that optimizesutilization of raw material. For some applications, the operator mayneed to mark defects, such as knots, cracks, or discolored portions of amaterial, before cutting. The marked locations of defects allow themicroprocessor to select cutting sites that exclude defects while makingoptimal use of the material according to the cut list requirements.

Manufacturing operations often have multiple machines which may beadvantageously coupled to an automated positioner. However, buyingseparate positioning assemblies for multiple machines may not be costeffective, or may take up too much space. Alternatively, a positioningdevice may be disconnected from one machine and reconnected to anothermachine. However, this may be too time consuming.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention includes numerous aspects and permutations. In a preferredexample a linear processing path is defined along a table structure. Afirst machine such as a saw is positioned along the processing path. Asecond machine is positioned along the processing path. A pusher ispositioned along the processing path between the first and secondmachines. The pusher is operable to feed materials, alternately, towardthe first and second machines.

In another aspect of the invention a method is carried out. An apparatusincludes a pusher positioned between first and second machines along aprocessing path. The pusher is operable to push work pieces alternatelyin opposite directions toward both machines. The pusher is controlled bya computer. An interlock is provided for each machine to preventoperation of the respective machine when the pusher is moving. A machineis first selected for use. The interlock for the machine is activated. Awork piece such a piece of lumber is placed on the processing pathbetween the pusher and the selected machine. The pusher is driven topush the work piece a calculated distance toward the selected machine.The pusher stops at an appropriate point. The interlock is disengaged,thereby re-enabling the machine to operate on the work piece. Alterationof the work piece is carried out by the machine. The alteration event isacknowledged by the computer. The interlock is re-engaged so the pushercan move to the next appropriate point along the processing path.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of an automated processing system including a virtualmarking assembly, in accordance with aspects of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side elevation view of the virtual markingassembly of FIG. 1 showing a default optical path.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side elevation view of the marking assembly ofFIG. 2 with an object marking a proximal boundary of a feature locationby creating a new optical path.

FIG. 4 is a schematic side elevation view of the marking assembly ofFIG. 2 with an object marking a distal boundary of a feature location bycreating a new optical path.

FIG. 5 is a schematic side elevation view of a marking system accordingto another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a marking system according to yet anotherembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of an automated material processing system,in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 shows a flow chart illustrating a method of salvaging material.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show side views manufacturing assemblies configured fordouble ended processing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLES OF THE INVENTION

An example of an automated processing system constructed in accordancewith the present invention is shown generally at 10 in FIG. 1. System 10includes a marking assembly 12 positioned along a front portion of thesystem. Marking assembly 12 includes a marking station 14 to orient anarticle or material 16 relative to an optical measuring device 18. Thearticle may be a wood product, metal, plastic, ceramic, and/or the like.The article may have any suitable shape and size, and may be elongate todefine a long axis, which also may be a processing axis.

Feature locations 20 along a processing axis 22 of material 16 may beinput by a user to the optical measuring device 18, which communicatesthe feature locations to a controller 24. Another computer 24 a may beused remotely from controller 24 to store, edit, combine, or modify cutlists prior to downloading one or more cut lists to controller 24.Marking assembly 12 allows a user to virtually mark feature locations 20of material 16 along processing axis 22 of the material. A “virtualmark” means a noted location on a material relative to a registrationpoint such as an end of the material or an axis, without requiring anactual physical mark on the material.

Optical measuring device 18 may provide data input for processing. Theoptical measuring device may send a light beam along optical path 26. Asdescribed in more detail below, this path may be altered for at least aportion of the light beam by placing an object into the light beam at alocation corresponding to a perimeter region of feature location 20.Alternatively, the object may be placed at a selected location thatinputs data about other structural aspects of the material or aboutnonstructural aspects of material processing. Controller 24 may use oneor more structural aspects of the material, such as feature locations 20and/or overall length, among others, to determine cutting sites.Structural aspects may include dimensions, defect locations, grade ofmaterial, etc. One or more structural aspects may be input opticallyand/or with another user interface.

Processing station 28 may be configured to process the materialautomatically based on the optically input data. Material processing, asused herein, may include any structural alteration of an article (amaterial). The structural alteration may include removing or separatinga portion of the article (such as by cutting, boring, punching, routing,mortising, sanding, drilling, shearing, etc.), adding another component(such as a fastener, a colorant, a sealing agent, a connected component,etc.), forming a joint (such as by tenoning), reshaping the article(such as by stamping, compression, bending, etc.), and/or altering thestrength of the article (such as by heating, electromagnetic radiationexposure, radiation treatment, etc.), among others.

Station 28 may include a positioner assembly 29, which may positionpreviously-marked material 30, relative to a material processing device,such as a saw 32. Positioned material 30 may be processed at one or morediscrete positions along processing axis 34 of material 30 by saw 32.Material processing may be based on virtually-marked feature locations20 or other processing data supplied by the user, by deflecting a lightbeam, as described below. Material processing also may be in accordancewith a processing list, such as a cut list, which may be stored in orotherwise accessible to controller 24.

In some embodiments, a material feeding or positioning device 37, suchas a roll feeder, may be used to feed material to a material processingdevice, such as a saw, in processing station 28. Alternatively, a pushermechanism may be employed to engage an end of the material and push thematerial relative to the processing station, particularly relative to amaterial processing device of the processing station. Movement of amaterial positioning device (and/or a material processing device) alonga line defines a processing line for in-line processing of an article.Accordingly, an article may be processed at one position or a pluralityof discrete positions arrayed parallel to the processing line.

As shown schematically in FIG. 2, optical measuring device 18 includes alight source 42 and a light detector 44. Light source 42 sends ortransmits a light beam 46, produced, for example, by a continuous orpulsed laser, along default optical path 26 to reflector 48, whichreflects the light beam back to detector 44. Reflector 48 is an optionalcomponent of marking station 12 that provides a default optical pathwhen the user has not interrupted optical path 26. Reflector 48 may beuseful for calibrating optical measuring device 18 and to assist inpositioning and measuring material 16, as described more fully below.

Processing data may be created by optical measuring device 18 accordingto the position at which light beam 46 is deflected manually. Theprocessing data created may be analog and/or digital data. Deflection ofa light beam, as used herein, is any deviation produced in at least aportion of the light beam away from a particular direction of travel,generally along a line. Deflection of the light beam may be produced byany suitable optical mechanism, including reflection, refraction,diffraction, scattering, and/or the like.

Detector 44 receives light from light beam 46 and detects any propertyof the light that allows device 18 to measure the position at which thelight beam was deflected. For example, the detector may measure thelength of optical path 26. In some embodiments, detector 44 may providemeasurement of a time-of-flight of light from light beam 46 alongoptical path 26 by signaling light detection to a clock. The clock maymeasure the time-of-flight between light transmission and lightdetection and thus may provide a distance measurement or a related lightparameter to be sent to controller 24 through any suitable means such ascommunications link 50 of FIG. 1. Rather than a time-of-flightmeasurement, any other property of light from light beam 46 may bemeasured to determine distance, such as angle of deflection fortriangulation (see FIG. 6), or a phase shift using an interferometer,among others. Suitable optical measuring devices for use in the presentinvention are available from Leica Geosystems of Herrbrugg, Switzerland,under the name DISTO or from Hilti Corporation of Tulsa, Okla., underthe names PD10 or PD20.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, processing axis 22 of material 16 may bepositioned substantially parallel to optical path 26, or a portionthereof, as processing data is input by deflection of the light beam.The light beam may be sent from light source 42, at a distance 54 fromdistal end 56 of wood product 16. Light beam 46 may travel along opticalpath 26 in a spaced relation from surface 60, for example, about 2inches above surface 60. As shown in FIG. 2, surface 60 of material 16may be substantially parallel to optical path 26, or a data input linethereof, and may be a top surface or a side surface of material 16.Optical path 26 also may be disposed below a bottom surface of material16 and visualized with an appropriately-positioned mirror or mirrors.

The long axis and/or processing axis of material 16 may be oriented atleast substantially parallel to optical path 26 in marking station 14,using an appropriate supporting structure such as brackets 64. Reflector48 may act to define the default optical path 26. A proximal end 66 ofmaterial 16 may abut reflector 48. Proximal end 66 may be markedoptically by deflection of the light beam by reflector 48, or may bemanually marked by altering optical path 26, as described below, withoutthe use of reflector 48.

FIGS. 3-4 show schematically how optical path 26, for at least a portionof the light beam, may be altered by an object marking feature locations20 of feature 68 in material 16. Feature 68 may be any aspect ofmaterial 16 between proximal end 66 and distal end 56 that may affectprocessing of material 16. For example, when material 16 is a woodproduct, a feature 68 may be a defect such as a knot, crack, recess,discolored portion, or uneven surface aberration. Features also mayinclude proximal end 66 and distal end 56 of material 16. In some cases,a feature 68 may include any structural aspect of material 16 thatinfluences subsequent processing of the material. With a wood product asmaterial 16, feature location 20 typically defines a beginning orboundary location of a clear portion of the wood product that isdefect-free.

As shown in FIG. 3, proximal end 69 of defect 68 may be marked bymanually placing an object 70 in the light beam. The term manual, asused herein, means employing human rather than mechanical energy, thatis, not automatic. Accordingly, object 70 may be any user-controlledobject capable of deflecting some or all of light beam 46 to detector 44from a position within optical path 26. Since many objects can deflectlight, the choices for object 70 are numerous. For example, object 70may be provided by a portion of the operator's body, such as a hand, afinger, an arm, a leg, a foot, a shoulder, etc. Alternatively, theobject may be distinct from the operator, such as a pen, pointer,paddle, mirror, or the like. Such a distinct object may be grasped by anoperator, connected to any suitable portion of the operator's body, ormay be coupled to the marking assembly. In some embodiments, object 70may be slidable along a track that extends parallel to the light beam,and may be manually placed in the light beam while coupled to the track.

In the example of FIG. 3, object 70 is positioned above the proximal end69 of defect 68, at a feature location 20 slightly proximal to defect68. Interrupted, shortened optical path 74 is measured by detector 44and communicated to controller 24. Similarly, distal end 80 of defect 68may be marked by positioning object 70, as shown in FIG. 4, at a pointalong a default optical path 26 corresponding to distal end 80, toproduce shortened optical path 78.

A feature location corresponding to distal end 56 of wood product 16 maybe marked with object 70, as previously described, or by temporarilylowering optical measuring device 18, or by slightly lifting distal end56 of material 16 above bracket 64 so that material 16 alters opticalpath 26. The feature location at distal end 56 also may be communicatedto controller 24 through keypad 86 (see FIG. 1) by inputting a totaloverall value the dimension of the material as measured along processingaxis 22.

Each optical path 26, 74, 78 may include an angle of reflection 8 atwhich light beam 46 is reflected back to detector 44. In someembodiments, a maximum angle of reflection θ at each feature locationmay be less than about 30°, less than about 20°, or less than about 10°.

A typical session for marking material 16 may be initiated with a signalto controller 24 that the user has material 16 properly positioned onbrackets 64. The signal may be initiated by an input either throughkeypad 86, a switch, such as foot pedal 88, or by deflecting light beam46, among others. Controller 24 then may recognize and interpret datasent by optical measuring device 18 according to any suitable logicalsequence. For example, the user may use object 70 to mark proximal end66 and distal end 56 of material 16 first, followed by internal featurelocations 20 of one or more defects 68. Alternatively, the user may markall features 20 in linear order, including one or both end positions ofmaterial 16. Controller 24 then interprets internal feature locations 20as flanking a defect 68. Marking station 12 also may include an audibleand/or visible signal mechanism, such as a bell, buzzer, or light, thatinforms the user when a feature location along processing dimension 22has been measured and sent to controller 24. For example, light post 89may be provided to give visible signals corresponding to data inputevents such as material marking, based on light beam deflection.

Once all feature locations 20 have been communicated to controller 24,the user may move second material 16 to processing station 28, forexample, after processing of previously processed first material 30 (seeFIG. 1). Alternatively, a processing station may be located linearlydownstream from marking station 14, so that second material 16 may bemoved parallel to its processing axis to place the second material inthe processing station 28. After second material 16 is moved from themarking station 14, or while it is still in the marking station, thecontroller may be signaled that a third material is to be marked. Thethird material may be placed in the marking station and marked by lightbeam deflection. Processing of first material 30 and marking of secondmaterial 16 may be controlled concurrently by controller 24, forexample, by signaling the controller with foot switch 88. This signalmay activate both positioner assembly 29 and optical marking device 18.Alternatively, marking assembly 12 may be disposed such that material 16may be marked and processed without moving the material to a distinctprocessing station.

In the system shown in FIG. 1, positioner assembly 29 uses positioner106 to push first material 30 along processing line 108. Positioner 106is any structure that determines the position of material 30 alongprocessing line 108. Examples of positioner 106 include a pusher, afence, or a stop block or any other similar structure configured to moveor index material. Typically, the user places material 30 in processingstation 28, on infeed table 110, so that processing axis 34 of material30 is parallel with processing line 108 of positioner 106, by abutmentwith guide rail 112. Positioner 106 moves parallel to processing line108 to contact distal end 114 of wood product 30. Positioner 106positions proximal end 116 of wood product 30 an appropriate distancebeyond saw 32 based on a positioning signal sent from controller 24 to amotor in housing 118. The motor controls movement of positioner 106through slider 120 in positioner assembly 29. Slider 120 is displacedalong guide rail 112 in response to controller 24 instructions to themotor. Alternatively, instead of a pushing-type positioner to movematerial 30 to the saw, the saw may be automatically moved along theprocessing line to an appropriate location for cutting according tomarked features. In another design, a roll feeder may be used to movethe material.

After positioner 106 has automatically positioned wood product 30appropriately, saw 32 is activated to process wood product 30. This maybe carried out automatically, for example, by controller 24 moving saw32, or manually, by the user moving saw 32. In an alternativeconfiguration, movement of material 30 relative to modifying device 32may be achieved also by moving device 32 parallel to processing axis 34,while material 30 is kept stationary. It should be noted that themarking station 12 may be useful with any automated processing system inwhich materials to be processed include features 68 that vary inlocation between the materials along processing axis 22.

After material 30 is cut, it may continue downstream onto outfeed table121. Drop-box hole 121 a may be provided in outfeed table 121 to allowwaste pieces to fall into a waste receptacle.

FIG. 5 shows a marking system 200 according to an alternate embodimentof the invention. Light source 202 directs light beam 204 to reflector206 where the beam is reflected to detector 208. Bumper 210 maintainsmaterial 212, at a fixed location relative to fixed light beam 204.Portion 214 of light beam 204 between bumper 210 and reflector 206 canbe used to create signals by interrupting beam portion 214. The signalsmay be interpreted by a computer, for example, as processinginstructions, separate from marking steps on material 212. This designenables many possible functions and adaptations to system 200. Forexample, a virtual keyboard 216 may be created. A template or similardevice may be positioned near beam portion 214 so that operator maypoint to or touch different locations on the template, thereby causinginterruptions of beam 204 at different locations. This feature of theinvention may be used to input processing data or instructions that arerelated to, or distinct from, structural aspects of the material to beprocessed. For example, such data or instructions may signal thebeginning or ending of a structural data input, initiation of materialhandling steps, start and/or stop instructions, the grade of materialbeing processed, processing instructions relative to marks that havebeen or will be indicated on the material, etc.

FIG. 6 shows a marking system 230 that measures distances based ontriangulation. Marking system 230 may be included in any suitableautomated processing system. Marking system 230 may include an opticalmeasuring device 232 having a light source 202 and a detector 234. Thelight source may send a beam of light 204 along a data input line 236 toa point of reflection, shown at 238 and 240. The point of reflection maybe provided by default reflector 206 or by an object 70 placed in thelight beam at a selected position along the data input line. Defaultreflector 206 or object 70 may reflect only a portion of light beam 204to detector 234, shown at 242 or 244, such as by diffuse reflection.

The angle defined by the reflected light beam may be measured bydetector 234, to provide a measure of the point of reflection along thedata input line. Suitable optics, such as a lens 246, may be disposedbetween the point of reflection and the detector to focus light beamportions 242, 244 onto detector 234. The position at which each lightbeam portion is detected by detector 234 may be used to calculate thepoint of reflection by triangulation. For example, light beam portion242 forms a smaller angle with data input line 236 than light beamportion 244. Accordingly, each of these angles may be related to a pointof reflection and thus a distance/position along the data input line.

The data input line is any line segment in which an object may be placedin the light beam to input data for material processing or systemoperation to the controller. The data input line may have any suitablerelationship to the light source and detection mechanism. The data inputline may be substantially or completely formed by air. The data inputline may be at least substantially parallel to the long axis of material16 and/or parallel to an axis along which the material is to beprocessed, generally at one or more discrete positions. The data inputline may extend from the light source to a default reflector 206.Alternatively, the data input line may be configured to be a subset ofthe line or line segment along which the light beam travels. Forexample, positions on this line or segment of travel that are too closeor too far from the light source may not be recognized for data input.In some embodiments, optical elements, such as lenses or mirrors may beemployed between the light source and the data input line to direct thelight beam along the data input line.

FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of a system 250 for automated materialprocessing. System 250 may include a data input station 252, a materialprocessing station 254, and a controller 256, among others.

Data input station 252 may be any mechanism for inputting data to system250 by manual deflection of a light beam. A particular position at whichthe light beam is deflected may input data that corresponds to theparticular position. The data may relate to operation of the system,processing a material, etc. The data input station may include anoptical measuring device 258 that provides a light beam. The data inputstation also may define a default optical path 260 followed by the lightbeam. A portion of optical path 260 may provide a data input line alongwhich the light beam travels. The optical measuring device may beconfigured so that placement of an object in the light beam at aparticular position along the data input line inputs data to controller256.

Material processing station 254 may be any mechanism for processing amaterial of interest. Station 254 may include a positioner 264 and amaterial processing device 266 that provide in-line processing along aprocessing line 268. The positioner may be configured to move parallelto a processing line 268, so that a material moves toward the materialprocessing device to select discrete positions of the material, arrayedparallel to the processing line, at which the material is processed.Alternatively, or in addition, the material processing device may beconfigured to move to discrete positions of the material arrayed inparallel to processing line 268.

The material processing station may have any suitable spatialrelationship to the data input station. For example, these stations maybe overlapping, so that the material can be processed directly after thedata is input. Alternatively, these stations may be spaced, so that thematerial is moved to the processing station after data input. Forexample, these stations may be at least substantially parallel, that is,data input line 262 may at least substantially or completely be parallelto processing line 268. The data input station may be disposed in frontof, or behind, the material processing station, when viewed from anormal position of operation by a user. Accordingly, a material may betransferred, manually or automatically, from the data input station tothe material processing station by movement perpendicular to the datainput line and/or processing line. In some embodiments, the data inputline and the processing line of such stations may be spaced so that aperson's arms can transfer the material from the data input station tothe material processing station while the person's feet are stationary,or spaced by a distance of less than about four feet. In someembodiments, the data input and material processing stations may bearrayed lengthwise, so that the stations are disposed on the left andright of each other in relation to a user in a normal position of use.Accordingly, the data input line and the material processing line may besubstantially collinear. The material processing station may be disposedso that the material is moved substantially parallel to the data inputline to position the material in the material processing station.

Controller 256 may be any device configured to manipulate data.Accordingly, the controller may be a digital processor or othercomputing device. The controller may be operatively connected to opticalmeasuring device 258 and material processing station 254, particularlypositioner 266 and/or material processing device 268. Accordingly, thecontroller may be configured to receive data input by a user through theoptical measuring device. In addition, the controller may be configuredto control operation of the positioner and/or material processingdevice, such as their movement, based on the data.

Controller 256 may be configured to operate data input and materialprocessing stations concurrently, that is, during overlapping timeintervals. Controller 256 may send and receive signals from the stationsat slightly different times, but overall the data input and processingoperations on two articles may be conducted at the same time.Accordingly, the data input station may input data to the controllerabout a second article or workpiece, while the material processingdevice is processing a first article, based on data previously input tothe data input station. In some embodiments, the controller may beconfigured to store input processing data for two or more articles. Thematerial processing station may be configured to sequentially processthe two or more articles based on the input processing data.

System 250 may include a user interface 270 to provide a mechanism inaddition to data input station 252 for inputting data to controller 256.User interface 270 may include a keypad, a keyboard, a touchscreen, atouchpad, a mouse, a foot-operated pedal, a voice recognition system,and/or the like.

Processing system 250 may be equipped with a printer 272, as shown inFIGS. 1 and 7. The printer may be operated manually or automaticallydepending on the application. The printer may be configured to printhard copy output related to operation of the processing system. Forexample, when the processing system includes a saw, the controller forthe saw may be configured so that yield data is automatically printedout at the end of executing a cut list. In some embodiments, theprintout may summarize: (1) linear feet cut, (2) percentage of usablematerial, (3) percentage of waste material, and/or (4) total cuttingtime, among others. In some embodiments, the printer may be configuredto print labels. The labels may include any suitable printed informationor indicia, such as stop movements, piece counts, cut lengths,materials, part numbers, job names, and/or other kinds of information.The information can be printed to labels of various sizes, depending onthe source of the data and parameters in the calibration/menu. Thelabels may be configured to be applied manually by a user of the system,or automatically when the material is processed.

Many different processing variations of the invention may be used. Forexample, the system may be programmed to record marks sequentially in asingle direction, so that if a mark is made in or behind an area thatwas already marked, then the computer deletes all data up to that pointallowing for correction and remarking of the area.

The system may also be programmed to manage handling of material notconforming to a cut list.

FIG. 8 shows a flow chart including steps used to salvage material. Acomputer is used in conjunction with an automated saw system such as oneof the ones described above. The computer may be programmed to optimizecutting of stock material to satisfy a cut list, and may also beprogrammed to manage use or disposal of remainder material.

Generally, there may be two types of remainder material. One type isreferred to as “salvage”. Salvage materials are pieces that do notsatisfy cut list requirements and do not contain marked defects. Forexample, if two five foot pieces are cut from an eleven foot boardpursuant to a cut list, the remaining one foot piece (not required bythe cut list) is considered salvage material. A second type of remaindermaterial is referred to as “defect”. Defect materials are pieces thatcontain defects such as knots or blemishes, particularly defects thathave been actually or virtually marked by the operator.

In the system and method illustrated in FIG. 8, a computer is programmedto optimize and manage salvage or saving of remainder material. Insystem 500, the first step 504 involves inputting one or more cut lists,a minimum salvage length (Smin), a minimum defect length (Dmin), and amaximum drop box length (DBmax). Next, pieces of stock or raw materialare processed according to the following routine.

In step 506 the length of a piece of material is input into thecomputer. The length may be measured and input manually by the operator.Alternatively, the length may be automatically measured and entered bypositioning one or more sensors along the processing path. The computermay also be programmed to automatically assume end-cuts of apredetermined dimension will be made prior to figuring the best strategyor plan for cutting the material.

In step 508 the operator marks the location of defects. Marking may becarried out by actually marking and scanning the material.Alternatively, the preferred approach is to input location(s) of defectsby “virtually marking” the defects using a light reflection orinterruption technique, for example, such as the methods described aboveinvolving use of a light beam substantially parallel to the processingpath.

In steps 510 and 512 the computer determines how to cut the materialconsidering optimum use of material to satisfy the cut list(s), and howto manage remainder material, i.e., salvage and defect materials.

In steps 514 and 516 cut list pieces, salvage pieces having a lengthequal to or greater than Smin, defect pieces having a length equal to orgreater than Dmin, and adjacent segments of salvage and defect pieceshaving a combined length equal to or greater than Dmin are cut, labeled,and saved for future use.

In steps 518 and 520 salvage pieces having a length less than Smin, anddefect pieces having a length less than Dmin, are cut to lengths equalto or less than DBmax, and discarded. A drop box may be provided with anopening dimensioned to allow disposal only of pieces having a lengthequal to or less than DBmax.

The controller may also be configured to automatically measure a pieceof material prior to cutting. The saw system is equipped with one ormore length sensors. A piece of material is placed in the processingline. A pusher shoves the material forward until it reaches the sensor.The controller calculates the length of the material according to theknown position of the pusher at the time the sensor detected the end ofthe material. The controller then determines how best to cut thematerial based on the length determination and any defect informationentered by the operator.

The invention may also be programmed for double ended processing. Forexample, the controller may be programmed to control processing ofmaterial between a saw and a drill press, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. InFIG. 9, automated pusher 600 is set up on table 601, and configured topush workpieces either in direction 602 towards upcut saw 604, oralternatively, in the direction of arrow 608 toward drill press 610. Inthe example shown in FIG. 9, each machine 604 and 610, has a dedicatedcontroller 612 and 614, respectively, equipped with a keypad forcontrolling operation of pusher 600 when being used with the respectivemachine. Dedicated interlock devices 616 and 618 are provided to preventoperation of the machine when pusher 600 is in motion. FIG. 10 is thesame as FIG. 9 except a single keypad controller in keypad 620 is usedinterchangeably with the two machines 604 and 610. Keypad 620 is shownin position for use with drill press 610. The keypad is also shown indashed lines in position 620 a where it would be used with saw 604. Whenpusher 600 is moving, the respective interlock disables activation ofthe tool. When pusher 600 reaches the target location, then theinterlock re-enables the tool to operate and then counts the strokeagainst the cut list. The appropriate interlock may operate depending onwhich end of the positioner track is designated as the “zero end”.

In another example of the invention, an automatic back-off feature isimplemented. First, the pusher moves a piece of material to point Arelative to a machine such as a saw. Before cutting the material, thepusher moves back a preset distance. Cutting is carried out. Then thepusher returns to point A before pushing the material to the nextposition. The back-off step prevents the pusher from shocking or bumpingthe material while it is being processed.

The specific embodiments disclosed and illustrated herein should not beconsidered as limiting the scope of the invention. Numerous variationsare possible without falling outside the scope of the appended claims.For example, the invention may be implemented in numerous differentmachine configurations with varying levels of automation. The inventionmay also be used to process many different kinds of materials including,but not limited to, wood, wood composites, polymeric materials such asPVC, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene, fiberglass, textiles,etc. In addition to cutting, the invention may be used to carry outother processing steps such as boring, punching, routing, mortising,sanding, drilling, shearing, bonding, sewing, heating, UV curing,painting or graphics application, etc. The subject matter of theinvention includes all novel and nonobvious combinations andsubcombinations of the various elements, features, functions, and/orproperties disclosed herein.

1. A method of cutting material comprising connecting a computer to asaw machine, the saw machine including a saw and a pusher for pushing atrailing end of a piece of wood downstream along a processing linetoward a saw, programming the computer to optimize cutting of stock tosatisfy a cut list, entering a cut list into the computer, selecting apiece of wood to be processed, positioning the piece of wood at a datainput station along a data input line parallel to the processing line, along axis of the piece of wood being parallel with the processing line,measuring length data of the piece of wood, and inputting the lengthdata into the computer, running an optimization program in the computerto determine a plan for optimal cutting of the piece of material tofulfill cut list requirements, positioning the piece of wood along theprocessing line between the pusher and the saw, executing the planincluding computer controlled driving of the pusher to push the trailingend of the piece of wood downstream toward the saw, and computercontrolled cutting of the piece of wood into one or more cut list part,and automatically printing labels for the cut list parts, each labelindicating information about the cut list part.